Nottingham Forest owner Vangelis Marinakis to face trial for alleged involvement with criminal organisations and inciting sports violence

Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos owner Vangelis Marinakis is reportedly set to face trial in Greece for his alleged ties with criminal organisations.

Greek billionaire Marinakis, who is currently the chairman and co-owner of football clubs Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest, is set to face trial in Greece along with four other board members of the Super League side as per multiple reports.

Following a ruling by a Greek judicial council, legal sources announced on Thursday that Marinakis will go on trial for misdemeanour charges as part of an investigation into sports violence. The investigation was started by authorities when a riot police officer was killed by a flare during altercations with a group of Olympiakos supporters outside a volleyball match between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos in December 2023.

Marinakis released a statement soon after the announcement and took to blaming the Greek government for ‘targeting’ him and Olympiacos. The statement read: “This is a coordinated effort to silence me, but a hopeless one. It is not, after all, the first time that such an attempt has been made. Political and economic interests have unsuccessfully tried the same thing in the past through fabricated cases and accusations that fell with a bang.

“The obvious target is me and Olympiacos. But what they really seek is to harm Freedom of the Press, the independence of the media and ultimately Democracy itself.

“The message I am sending is one and clear: I am not afraid, I am not blackmailed, I am not negotiating, I am not giving in, I am not surrendering. The truth will shine again. Democracy will prevail. In the end, we will (as always) be victorious.”

The Greek shipping and media tycoon who also owns English Premier League club Nottingham Forest, and the four board members, have denied any wrongdoing. However, the trial will go on as the legal system continues to try and lockdown the growing sports violence in Greece.